These days, there’s a miracle product to treat any wellness issue and this is no more true than when it comes to your sexual health. Penis-enlargement products seem to saturate the market these days – appearing in men’s magazines, over the radio and on the internet – but do they actually do anything for your sexual wellbeing? Let’s take a look at what you can expect from male-enhancement pills, pumps, exercises and surgeries.
While many products claim to lengthen or widen your penis, when it comes to the evidence to back up these claims, the support just isn’t there. The truth is, there is very little scientific research that proves any non-surgical method capable of enlarging your penis. Moreover, you won’t see an reputable medical organisation endorse penis surgery for purely cosmetic reasons. You need to think twice before trying any of the techniques you see advertised, as most are simply ineffective, and some can actually damage your penis. It’s common to feel as though your penis looks too small or is too small to sexually satisfy your partner, but many studies have shown that most men with this fear actually have normal-sized penises, and an exaggerated idea of what constitutes “normal” penis size. Don’t believe me? Here are the facts:
- When not erect, the average penis measures somewhere between three and five inches, or about eight to 13 centimetres.
- When erect, most men fall somewhere between five and seven inches, or 13 to 18 centimetres.
- Your penis will only be considered to be abnormally small if, when erect, it measures at less than three inches or seven centimetres. If this is the case, you have a condition known as micropenis.
The problem is that the media and advertisers would have you believe that your penis size is a major issue for your partner, which can play a large role in your choice to try penis-enlarging products. However, attraction is a complex issue. Moreover, there have been several studies that show that, on a woman’s list of priorities, penis size is much lower down than such issues as a man’s personality. As it stands, there’s unfortunately little research about gay men’s perceptions about their partners’ penis size. Nonetheless, whatever your situation, it’s more likely that your partner wants you to improve your understanding of their needs and desires than to try to change the size of your penis.
If you’re still unconvinced, let’s investigates some of the most widely promoted penis-enlarging products and techniques:
1. Pills and lotions: In most of these products, there’ll be some sort of vitamin, mineral, herb or hormone that supposedly enlarges your penis. However, there is yet to be a pill or lotion proven to work, and some of these actually harm your penis. Pills and lotions are a no-go then, so what about…
2. Vacuum pumps: These pumps are sometimes used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) as they work to draw blood into your penis and make it swell. In the same way, using a vacuum pump can create an illusion of a larger penis, but results are not permanent. Moreover, if you use this kind of pump more often and for longer than you would in treating ED, you may find you experience less-firm erections due to damaged elastic tissue in your penis.
3. Jelqing: This is a special kind of exercise that uses a hand-over-hand motion to push blood from the base to the head of your penis. Although this appears to be one of the safer penis-enlarging methods you can use, jelqing can cause pain, disfigurement and scar formation. Plus, the exercise doesn’t have any scientific evidence to back up its claims.